MOST URGENT

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 127, 31 May 1919, Page 9

MOST URGENT

RAILWAY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME

MR. HILEY'S FINAL WARNING

The Government, and not the management -would be responsible for the inefficiency .of the railways if facilities for dealing with .the traffic of the future were not provided us soon as possible—this was the substance of the warning given by Mr. E. {I. Hiley, late general manager of New Zealand railways at the gathering held last night, in his honour.

Mr. Hiley said they were absolutely at their limit in carrying on the trade of the country, which had in no way diminished. He emphasised this point while Ministers were present as he wished them to realise that the Railway Department should; now be given facilities if it was to deal with the trade as it was now, and would be in the future. He would not be doing his duty-if he did not emphasise the need for a vigorous and forward policy of railway improvements. In 1914 they put forwards a programme of improvements considered necessary for the requirements of the immediate future. That programme had hardly been touched, and was bo incomplete, thatlittle advantage had been reaped. The programme emphasised the necessity for additional facilities for handling and holding traffic at all the important junctions and termini, for the removal of difficult grades on the main lines, and for modernising the railway workshops. That was only an interim programme and would have- been extended later on. Had /ha, thought the Government would have digested more than 3? millions, he would have put more down; but that 3Ji millions had not been spent yet. They had lost five years' valuable time; the 1914 programme had not been commenced, and the 1919 programme that1 would have been was still- in the air, and New Zealand was in for a period of expansion more rapid than anything experienced in the past. The railways had no margin for dealing with extra traffic, and unless the Government was prepared to "under-. take the vigorous ' carrying, out of. the 1914 programme, and the 1919 programme when.they got it, the railways would be a. means of retarding the progress of the country. As sure as that time came, the general manager of railways would be held to be inefficient,- for. tlie general manager was always the target for the criticism which came so readily to the lips. The general manager took, over that old historicpost of "whipping boy" to the Government for the .time being. "I say quite seriously, that the general manager, unless he gets the assistance he should have, and gets it quickly, will be no more to blame than the gentlemen in Egypt of pious memory were, when they were blamed for not making bricks without straw." . SOME SPECIFIC NEEDS. Ie addition ■ to' the; 1914 programme there were many things to do. Some of these would have to be tackled with the programme, or. the New Zealand rail-, ways would become more out-of-date, and more incapable of dealing with increased traffic. For example, the Wellington-Johnsonville-Paekakariki line could 'not remain any longer with its present means as a portion of the main line. The suburban lines in'practically all of the metropolitan centres would require to be duplicated, to be able to separate mam line traffic from suburban traffic. They could not hope to cater' for suburban traffic as they would if they had separate facilities, unless they were able to . give the lines up to suburban traffic, and make provision for-main line goods and passenger traffic offering at the same time. It would be necessary, as soon as possible to electrify the suburban lines. They could not possibly compete \vith electric trams unless they could take passengers through tunnels cleanly, quickly, and without inconvenience. THE RIMUTAKA DEVIATION The Rimutaka incline was an absolute anachronism. It was unfair to expect any Railway Department to work the traffic that would be offered from the Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay with the coiv tinuance of such an incline as the Rimutaka, with grades of 1 sin 14 and turns. "I would impress on the members of the Government here present the necessity of calling for a survey of the alternative routes to avoid the Rimutaka and putting the work in hand as soon as possible." ■ . ROLLING STOCK. The present deficiency in rolling stock, modern engines, cars and .wagons, which had been brought about to a great extent by the cessation of • the building programme under war. conditions, must be remedied. This again was a matter for which the Railway Department would be blamed, and which it could not possi'gly remedy unless given the facilities"to. do so The Government would also have to go in for a scheme of .bridgestrengthening. That was one of the most vital matters if they were to cope with heavier traffic than at present. . They must have bridges that would carry amodern engine, so that they could deal with heavier trains than' at present. "My interest in the New Zealand Railways," and in the good name of the New Zealand Railways, did riot finish at the end of April. 1 want to see your new General Manager and responsible officers and staff put in the position of having facilities for handling traffic economically, efficiently, and creditably to themselves in thb future, and 1. have taken this opportunity of indicating publicly, and to some of the Cabinet Ministers; my views, such as they are after five, and ahalf years of management, as to some ofthe necessities the Railways Department is entitled to ask for now normal times have come." \ Ministers, speaking later, showed their appreciation of Mr. Hiley's warning. ■ Sir James Allen said that' whatever Parliament might be in office in tse nest succeeding years, it could not neglect the warning that had been given that night, and the warning given in 1914. He was only sorry that the war had prevented the programme from being carried out. Those who knew. something about the produce of-. New Zealand, and the necessity for getting it away, realised the necessity for carrying 'out that programme as early as possible. They had piled up a very heavy debt and hugs responsibilities, which, could only be met by increasing production, and if it were increased ib had to be carried. The railways must be put upon a footing that would render them eHicient, so that they could deal with both passenger and goods traffic efficiently and economically. The Hon. \V D. S. Mac Donald said that when the new era of development and progress and prosperity began they would have to carry out the programme proposed five years ago, and probably on a larger scale.

The Hon.,W. H. Herries recalled the diffidence the- Government had in 1914 in asking for the 3£ millions wanted by Mr. Hiley. It seemed such a colossal amount then ; but they realised the works proposed were necessary and they got the vote through. Had it not been for the war it would have .been completed by now, and they would have been ready for the 1919 programme. He realised that it was practically necessary to reform the whole of the railways of the Dominion if they were to carry the enormous amount of produce the country was going to put on them. They would go on with the programme as soon as they had the material and the labour. They hoped to put on as many returned soldiers as would, take the job.